Museum bids to acquire huge 'fatberg' clogging London sewer

by Associated Press

In this undated handout photo issued by Thames Water on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017, a view of part of a fatberg inside a sewer in Whitechapel, London. British engineers say they have launched a “sewer war” against a giant fat blob clogging London’s sewers. Thames Water officials said Tuesday it is likely to take three weeks to dissolve the outsize fatberg. (Thames Water via AP)

The Museum of London says it is trying to acquire a chunk of the 130 metric ton (143 U.S. ton) mass of oil, fat, diapers and baby wipes currently clogging one of the city's Victorian sewers.

Utility company Thames Water is trying to dislodge the smelly blob, which is 250 meters (820 feet) long, by breaking it up with high-powered hoses. They say the process could take weeks.

Museum director Sharon Ament said Wednesday that adding the fatberg to its collection "would raise questions about how we live today and also inspire our visitors to consider solutions to the problems of growing metropolises."

The museum hopes to obtain a cross-section of the fatberg. It hasn't decided how it would be displayed.